Chrysanthemum plant named `Xanthus`

ABSTRACT

A chrysanthemum plant named Xanthus characterized by its medium sized blooms with yellow ray and disc florets and mounding prolific branching; early natural season flower date of August 1-4; blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinctcultivar of chrysanthemum plant that is a cross of unknown Dendranthemagrandiflora parents. The new and distinct cultivar was a seedlingresulting from the open pollination among groups of chrysanthemumcultivars maintained under the control of the inventor for breedingpurposes. The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected asone flowering plant by Rob Noodelijk on a cultivated field inRijsenhout, Holland in August, 1996. The plant has been asexuallyreproduced by cuttings in greenhouses at Rijsenhout, Holland. The newcultivar has been found to retain its distinctive characteristicsthrough successive propagations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum ofa medium sized bloom and yellow color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum isshown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true aspossible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in various stages of bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

FIG. 3 shows foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classificationDendranthema grandiflora. The observations and measurements weregathered from plants grown outdoors in Rijsenhout, Holland under naturalday length and temperature and planted week 22 in 1997 and 1998. Thenatural blooming date for this crop was August 1-4 (week 31). Theaverage height of the plants was 20 cms. This new variety producesmedium sized blooms with yellow ray and disc florets blooming for aperiod of 5 weeks.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics thatdistinguish Xanthus as a new and distinct variety. The colordesignations (color designations are from the R.H.S. Colour Chart) aretaken from the plant itself. Accordingly, any discrepancies between thecolor designations and the colors depicted in the photographs are due tophotographic tolerances.

    ______________________________________                                        Botanical Classification                                                      CULTIVAR Xanthus                                                              ______________________________________                                        Bud                                                                           Size             MEDIUM                                                                        CROSS SECTION ± 1.3 CM                                                     HEIGHT ± 1.5 CM                                           Outside Color    YELLOW 3 C                                                   Bloom                                                                         Size             MEDIUM                                                       Fully Expanded   5-6 CM                                                       Borne (number of blooms                                                                        UPPER AND LOWER PORTION                                      per branch)                                                                                    PLURAL BLOOMS PER                                                             BRANCH                                                                        (APPROX. 6 BLOOMS)                                           Length of lateral branch                                                                       FROM TOP TILL BOTTOM                                                          APPROX. 11 CM                                                Lateral branch, Attachment                                                                     MEDIUM                                                       Branching        Mounding and prolific with 8-10                                               breaks after pinching                                        Form             SINGLE(DAISY)                                                Performance (on the plant)                                                                     5 WEEKS                                                      Color                                                                         Disc florets     At an early stage of inflorescence                                            Yellow 3 A                                                   Color of the upper surface of the                                                              YELLOW 3 A                                                   majority of the ray-florets                                                   Color of the lower surface of the                                                              YELLOW 3 A                                                   majority of the ray-florets                                                   Tonality from Distance                                                                         A COMPACT GARDENMUM                                                           WITH YELLOW SINGLE FLO-                                                       WERS                                                         Discoloration of the ray florets                                                               NONE                                                         Discoloration of the disc florets                                                              To Yellow 13 A                                               Pollen           YELLOW-ORANGE 14 A                                           Ray florets                                                                   Texture          UPPERSIDE SMOOTH                                                              UNDERSIDE SMOOTH                                             Number           ±23-26                                                    Cross-section    FLAT                                                         Longitudinal axis of the majority                                                              STRAIGHT                                                     Shape of tip     DENTATE                                                      Fragrance        TYPICAL CHRYSANTHEMUM                                        Disc Diameter    SMALL, 1 1/2 CM                                              Reproductive Organs                                                           Stamen (present in disc florets)                                                               YELLOW, THIN, ±4 MM IN                                                     LENGTH                                                       Pollen           Present, abundant                                            Styles (present in both ray and disc                                                           YELLOW, TRIN                                                 florets)                                                                      Style Length     ±4 MM                                                     Stigmas          YELLOW                                                       Stigma Width     ±1 MM                                                     Ovaries          ENCLOSED IN CALYX                                            Plant                                                                         Form             A GARDENMUM (POT MUM)                                                         MEANT FOR OUTDOOR USE                                        Growth           SHORT                                                        Height (from soil level)                                                                       ±20 CM                                                    Stem Color       NEAR GREEN 144 A                                             Stem Strength    STRONG                                                       Stem Brittleness PRESENT                                                      Stem Anthocyanin Coloration                                                                    NONE                                                         Natural blooming date                                                                          BEGINNING OF AUGUST (WEEK                                                     31)                                                          Foliage                                                                       Color            UPPERSIDE GREEN 137 A                                                         UNDERSIDE GREEN 147 B                                        Size             SMALL: LENGTH ± 7 CM                                                       WIDTH ± 5 CM                                              Quantity (number per lateral                                                                   14-16                                                        branch)                                                                       Shape            INCURVED                                                     Texture          FLESHY                                                       Ribs and Veins   RIBS AND VEINS NOT SO WELL                                                    DEVELOPED                                                    Edge             LOBED                                                        Shape of Base of Sinus Between                                                                 ROUND                                                        Lateral Lobes                                                                 Margin of Sinus Between                                                                        DIVERGING                                                    Lateral Lobes                                                                 Shape of Base    ASYMMETRIC                                                   Apex             MUCRONATE                                                    ______________________________________                                    

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant asdescribed and illustrated.